Take Me Home
by Moriel21
Summary: My first attempt at Smacked love! How I think All Access should have ended!


**Take Me Home**

**A/N:** I was recently rewatching "All Access" and as much as I love that eppy and how it's written, I have always wished that the writers would have handled that last scene with Smacked way differently than they did. So I thought why not write how I wish it would have gone! So this is my version of how those last few minutes with Smacked should have gone, and their thoughts in those moments as well!

**Disclaimer:** Clearly I do not own them, or Peyton would not exist and Smacked would be married with babies by now!

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"_I'm a big girl Mac, I can handle this_" she said, a brave smile on her face.

I nodded, I knew that. She was without a doubt the strongest woman I had ever known, but even so there was a vulnerability on her face right now that I could not ignore. Stella Bonasera was no one's idea of a "scaredy-cat", but the fear that lingered in the depths of her eyes as well as the fresh cut on her cheek were clear reminders to me of the ordeal she had just survived. And I knew if for no other reason than my own peace of mind, I would not be able to rest until I was certain she was safe and that smile of hers I loved so much, really and truly reached her eyes.

"_I know that Stel_," I answered her, finally finding my voice to reply. The last thing I wanted to do was back her in a corner and make her feel trapped for the second time in just a matter of hours. But for once I ignored that voice in my head and went with what my heart was telling me, had been telling me for a long time I think. I studied her for a moment, smiling to myself as she stood there in front of me silently, comfortable with my perusal, giving me the time and space I needed to say whatever was on my mind. I loved that about her, that level of comfort between us, a comfort that now was second nature to us both. To look at us now, you would not think that early on things between us had been unnatural. But it had taken time to build that level of ease, time and some extra intervention. Those first few months working together so long ago had been interesting to say the least. She had come to the force with some pretty big trust issues, and I had just gotten out of the Marines with a fairly good size chip on my shoulder, so to say communication between us was tough would be an understatement. I wonder sometimes what would have become of the two of us, had Claire not stepped in. She had come to the station one afternoon after Stella and I had been working together a couple months. She took one look at Stella's mop of curly hair and sad brown eyes and decided then and there that they were going to become best friends. I like to think that Stella and I would have found our way to each other eventually, but I think someone up there knew our similar tendencies toward stubbornness and decided to step in on our behalf. Little did Claire know that she was laying the foundation that day, for what would become the single most important relationship in both Stella and I's lives and the one thing that would see both of us through the tragedies to come ahead of us.

I continued to stare at Stella now, losing myself in her eyes, as the past rolled over me in waves. Memories of nights spent with the three of us laughing and talking, when things had been easy and carefree paraded through my mind. Life had been so smooth then. But as always seems to happen, tragedy struck home, ushering in a new era and a new set of memories. The memories of those later days are no less vivid, laced with a pain we thought we would never forget. Yet looking back now, there was a sweetness that flowed through those moments as well. It was during those long hours of tears and heartache that Stella and I's friendship was truly forged. Put through fire of the fiercest heat, our hearts had been bonded together in a way no one else would ever understand. It is that bond that has held us together all these years, that bond that found my heart choking my throat when I heard her address over the police scanner last night. And it was that same bond that found me now pondering how best to go about taking care of her, and wondering if she would object to my simply wrapping her up in my arms and never letting go.

She smiled at me then, almost as if reading my thoughts, something that actually would not have surprised me all that much; the woman had the uncanny ability of all too often knowing exactly what I was thinking!

I quirked an eyebrow at her and she let out a soft laugh, the first hint of a twinkle finding it's way back into her eyes. "You going to pull out the bubble wrap and kid gloves and wrap me up safe and sound forever, Mac?" she teased, in response to my silent question. I chuckled, uncanny indeed!

"_Humor me_," I smiled back at her, "_if you won't let me use the kid gloves, at least let me cook you dinner and make up my couch for you tonight_." I watched her process my request, knowing full well that she would agree, if for no other reason than she knew I would not take no for an answer. Still she studied me for a long moment, turning my earlier perusal back on me. My eyes held hers as she stared, and I felt the wall around my emotions slowly crumble as I truly realized how close I had come to losing this amazing woman before me. Just when I had fallen in love with her I was not sure, I just knew that imagining my life without her in it was suddenly unbearable to me. My heart was back in my throat for the second time in less than 24 hours, as the wall around my heart fell down completely. Stella must have seen something of my feelings as she stared at me, because her eyes widened slightly and then the most beautiful smile I had ever seen spread across her face as she nodded.

"_Alright Mac_," she said with eyes full of promise and dreams, "_take me home_."


End file.
